1. Are my children’s teachers telling them the truth?
2. What type of life equipping wisdom will my child be taught at school?
3. Is school helping, or hindering, me as a parent to strengthen and encourage my child’s faith and values?
4. Who are the major influences in my child’s life? Are they helping, or hindering, my role as a parent?
5. Is school preparing my child to be an ambassador of Christ?
1. ROOTED IN GOD’S WORD
God’s Word is taught in all facets of character training and academics.
“You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul …. And you shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.” (Deuteronomy 11:18-19)
What we have here is a clear biblical mandate to saturate our children’s minds with the Word of God. It’s a difficult task under any circumstances, but nearly impossible in a public school setting. Once inside those doors, children spend 30 to 40 hours a week being told that God, if He exists at all, is no longer relevant. No matter how spiritually grounded your child may be, the repetition of such destructive ideas can’t help but have an adverse affect.
Christian schools offer a refreshing, biblical alternative. Not only is the Bible taught for what it is – the inspired Word of God – but it forms the foundation of all other subjects.
In math, in social studies, in biology, all academic roads lead to God, in whom all knowledge has its origin. Your children will be very challenged to travel that road in a secular public school.
2. HARVEST SCHOOL SHARES YOUR VALUES
If you’re like most Christian parents, you’ve taught your children about God since the day they were born. You’ve taken them to church, read them Bible stories, sung “Jesus Loves Me.” Imagine their shock and dismay when they’re thrust into an environment in which God is hated, ignored, or both.
Even the best public schools are prohibited by law from reinforcing the values you teach at home. They either compete against them or disregard them altogether.
And because you care about the mental and spiritual development of your children, you may spend countless hours trying to bridge the philosophical gap between Christianity and secular humanism.
In addition a Christian education offer a much safer emotional and spiritual environment. Verbal insults and things that go largely overlooked in a public school setting, are less likely to be tolerated. And the politically-correct, socially-tolerant attitudes that pervade secular classrooms don’t see the light of day at distinctly Christian institutions. Anti-Christian behavior such as homosexuality and abortion is exposed for what it is, which helps guard your children’s minds against the licentious attitudes fostered by popular education.
3. PERSONAL AND TAILORED EDUCATION
Because Harvest is unique is its small size, your children are not left in the wake of over-standardization, low-standards, peer-pressure, competition or needs over-sights.
Being small allows us to spend the time, tailor an approach, communicate 1-on-1 with parents and thoroughly monitor your childs development.
Our joint grades and classes are smaller. With that comes more intimate gatherings that encourage students to be participants rather than be spectators. Students learn how to think quickly, and gain valuable experience sharing their thoughts and opinions in a public forum.
None of this is meant to be a criticism of parents who place their children in public schools. Nor is it an indictment against well-meaning public school educators. But the fact remains that public schools are not allowed to give your children the educational experience the Bible demands. Regardless of what you may think about Christian school, we encourage you to seek God’s thoughts on the matter before choosing an academic home for your children.